Album Rating: 3.5

Man I wanted to be able to say y’all were being way too cynical here, was hoping for a solid 3.5 level album here and at the end of first spin while it’s definitely not bad for the most part it’s definitely fairly boring. It’s not actively offensive in the way a lot of Everything Now was (though ironically that album did have more memorable hooks than anything I can recall from here on first go) but it’s not as much of a graceful comfort zone album as I thought it might be based on “The Lightning.” The flow/pacing feels a bit weird too.

Album Rating: 2.0

It's interesting how each passage of the album seems to be in a different style. 'End of the Empire' is almost like a British Invasion thing. Like Bowie or Mott the Hoople.

'End Of Empire is a fucking MESS but it's either genuinely good at points or so insanely hilariously bad that it's a genuine blast so those are my faves'


This is spot on

Album Rating: 2.5

Boney - did you get a 'Pure Comedy' vibe from 'End of the Empire I-III'?

Album Rating: 2.0

Pure Comedy really did what Arcade Fire have been trying to for the last three albums, but better lol

Album Rating: 3.5

Didn’t get that vibe on first go Doof but will listen for that next time

Album Rating: 2.0

I’ll probably check this but I really have no idea what I’m actually expecting / hopeful for at this point… being better than Everything Now would be a welcome start (horrendously low bar).

Album Rating: 3.5

It seems the consensus is landing on “better than Everything Now…but not that much better.”

Album Rating: 2.0

It is better in that it is more competent, but worse in that it is less memorable

Album Rating: 2.0

Memorability isn’t always a positive.

Album Rating: 2.0

I would disagree.



When I listen to things, I would prefer them to make an impression than not

Album Rating: 3.0

I though EN was insulting though

Album Rating: 2.0

EN was insulting, but it did actually put up on the last two actual songs. It's also so bad that it is at least interesting to revisit in a "seriously, what were they thinking?" kind of way. Can't see why you would choose WE if you were in the mood for Arcade Fire and were deciding on what to listen to

Album Rating: 2.0

EN is that guy at a party who claims they don't watch TV because they have better things to be doing.

Album Rating: 2.5

'being better than Everything Now would be a welcome start (horrendously low bar).'



I think this is quite a lot better than 'Everything Now'

It absolutely is

Some of the worst lyrics I have ever heard for sure tho

Album Rating: 2.5

Odal is 100% on point.



As bad as EN was, I'll never forget "INFINITE CONTENT INFINITE CONTENT, WE'RE INFINITELY CONTENT" being screamed at me 400 times or that part about "putting on their first record" on Creature Comfort. I listened to this yesterday and it's already out of my mind.



They do over-dramatic chamber pop stuff better on their early work, they do arena folk/rock better on the suburbs, they do synthpop/alt dance better on Reflektor. Even the lyrics are funnier on EN. This does nothing better. It's the bare minimum.

Album Rating: 3.5

All your points are accurate, though I’d still rather have this than EN. A second cursory listen suggests this is a “good” album imo, if certainly not a truly great one like their first few. I feel kind of bad for them since they’re probably always going to suffer under the burden of expectations and comparison to past work. Their sound and appeal have always been too “big” for them age gracefully into a comfortable MOR style like many legacy acts do (or at least for their audience to allow them to do so) - this feels like their first attempt to kind of do that but it still clearly has big aspirations. Taken on its own merits I think there’s some solid songwriting and instrumentation choices going on here. It’s early days of course but I feel time might be kind to this one - it’s pleasant and earnest enough that I bet it’ll get them some new fans and even some older ones may grow to embrace it, while everyone else will probably just forget it.

Album Rating: 2.0

‘When I listen to things, I would prefer them to make an impression than not‘



Yeah usually, but sometimes the obnoxiousness is overwhelming and therefore it’d be better if you could’ve just completely forget any of it ever happened instead

Album Rating: 1.5

overwhelming obnoxiousness is better than something completely forgettable because at least it has entertainment value